Pew poll: 60% of Americans uneasy with their own doctor using AI to diagnose

Most Americans are willing to let artificial intelligence (AI) handle health care paperwork. They are much less willing to let it make the call on a diagnosis or an insurance claim. That is the finding of a new Pew Research Center survey of 3,488 U.S. adults, published Friday ¹.

Pew says 60% of adults would be uncomfortable if their own doctor relied on AI for tasks like diagnosis and treatment. Only 30% would be comfortable, and 10% were not sure ². The survey was conducted June 22-28, 2026 ².

Paperwork yes, final say no

About eight in 10 adults are open to AI translating for a patient. Of those, 26% accept AI working alone and 52% want a human to review the translation ¹. Similar majorities support AI scheduling appointments and ordering prescription refills ¹.

Support drops as the stakes rise. Pew found 41% want AI to play no role in making a diagnosis ¹. Another 46% reject any AI role in deciding insurance claims ¹².

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Only 5% would accept AI deciding claims alone, and 38% would accept it with a human giving the final review ². On medical scans, 60% are open to AI analysis if a person reviews it. Just 6% accept AI doing it alone ².

a majority of Americans (60%) are uncomfortable with AI in their own healthcare for tasks like diagnoses and treatment.

What older adults think

Adults 65 and older are the most positive group about AI's effect on patient health. Among them, 42% expect better outcomes, up 8 points since 2022. Another 26% expect worse outcomes, and 30% see little difference ².

Younger adults have gone the other way. Among those under 30, 45% now expect worse outcomes, up from 29% four years ago ¹. Overall, the public is nearly split: 37% expect AI to improve patient health and 36% expect it to make health worse ¹.

Privacy and trust

About half of adults say AI will make the patient-doctor relationship worse. Also, 51% say it will weaken the security of personal health information, and only 8% think privacy will improve ¹.

Trust is thin outside the exam room. Majorities have little or no confidence that health insurers, the federal government, AI companies or state governments will make sure AI is used in patients' best interest ¹. Doctors fare better. Twenty-six percent have a great deal or quite a bit of confidence in them, and 34% more have some ¹.

Lower-income adults and women are more wary of AI. Asian Americans, higher earners and people with more education are more open to it ¹.

Why it matters

That matters because insurers decide whether many treatments get paid for, and the poll shows little public appetite for a machine making those decisions without a person. The survey does not say what Congress or regulators should do. It does show where the public stands as AI spreads through care.

This survey is a snapshot of opinion, not a measure of how often AI is used in any particular clinic or insurer. The Pew results do show that patients want a human in charge when the stakes are high.

The Record

1. Jun 22, 2026Pew begins fielding its survey of 3,488 U.S. adults, which runs through June 28 ².
2. Oct 29, 2026Pew publishes its report on Americans, AI and health care ².
3. Oct 30, 2026Coverage reports 60% of adults are uncomfortable with their own doctor relying on AI for diagnosis and treatment ¹.

Sources

1. Courthouse News, “AI can make appointment but doctor should make decision, Americans say in poll” (2026-10-30). courthousenews.com/ai-can-make-appointment-but-doctor-should
2. Pew Research Center, “Americans are open to AI in healthcare but want humans making final calls” (2026-10-29). pewresearch.org/science/2026/10/29/americans-are-open-to-ai-

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